‘America First’ would become ‘Trump first’ in a second term

Don’t presume Trump’s foreign policy would be the same without the ‘Deep State’ diplomats and officials he’s promising to purge.

SINGAPORE – With America’s election day nearly here, governments and businesses across Asia are preparing for the next US administration. Many experts presume Harris-Walz would be a continuation of the incumbent Biden-Harris government and Trump 2.0 would be like Trump 1.0.

True, a Kamala Harris victory would see a continuation of the traditional US approach to foreign policy of working with partners and allies to best advance the US national interest – President Donald Trump’s first term excepted.

Many believe Trump’s return to the Oval Office would see a continuation of his “America First” foreign policy, which views the world through a narrow bilateral lens.

Bilahari Kausikan, former permanent secretary of Singapore’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, predicts countries in the region would be well prepared for a second Trump term after living through the first one.

“The Trump administration wasn’t all bad. True, his walking away from the TPP was a shock that still reverberates, but we adapted through the CPTPP and RCEP,” he wrote, referring to regional trade pacts. “The world did not end. And some of the things Trump did to restore the credibility of American hard power were certainly in our interest.”

“President [Barack] Obama made prettier speeches, but President Trump understood — perhaps instinctively— hard power better,” he added.

True, Trump’s America First approach did have successes, in large part because his administration had talented and effective officials, political appointees and career officials working to implement his policies.

A second Trump term, however, would likely not have that same level of expertise or experience behind him.

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